GUY FAWKES revellers in north Warwickshire are being warned that badly planned or dangerous looking bonfires will be dismantled by council workmen.

Firefighters are also on stand-by to pump hundreds of gallons of water on to dangerous unofficial bonfires so that they cannot be lit.

The warning comes in the build-up to Bonfire Night on Sunday and in the wake of a large number of what fire chiefs have described as "nuisance fires" throughout the north of the county last year.

David Baxendale, head of environmental services at North Warwickshire Borough Council, spelled out the nononsense approach to homemade bonfires.

He said: "Badly planned or dangerous looking fires may be removed by the council or wetted by the fire service for public safety."

He added: "Bonfires can be fun but also risky, especially if the wrong items are burned in the wrong place. I would recommend organised professional displays.

"People planning to do their own thing should be careful about what goes into the fire, and watch for the risks from fire spread, burns, collapse or explosions."

The borough council is working in partnership with the fire service, whose Atherstone-based area risk officer, Dave Hewston, said firefighters last year had to deal with a large number of nuisance fires which had been lit too close to structures.

Mr Hewston said: "We are asking residents to look out for bonfires which may be located too close to woodland areas, houses or garages.

"In some cases, the owner of the bonfire may not be aware of the dangers they are creating, so it's essential that they receive the right advice before the fire is lit."

He said people also needed to be aware that children might use an unattended bonfire as a den.

Mr Hewston warned: "It could also encourage people to dump their junk on it, such as old gas cylinders, which could be lethal if they go undetected."